'Living Stones' Appeal Launched

Sponsor a Cathedral Stone to Help Conserve Gloucester’s Greatest Landmark

Gloucester Cathedral has launched a fundraising campaign encouraging supporters to sponsor their own Cathedral stone. The ‘Living Stones’ appeal aims to raise funds towards a £400,000 project to restore one of the oldest parts of the building, the North Ambulatory.

An architectural masterpiece crafted in the Romanesque style, the Ambulatory dates to the very origins of the 900-year-old Norman Abbey. In this part of the building you will find the tomb of King Edward II and the Memorial Chapel, honouring the County’s war dead. Currently the Cathedral’s most pressing focus for repair, the stonework requires urgent conservation to ensure it is water-tight and weather proof.

For a minimum donation of £25, supporters will be allocated their own stone which will be conserved as a part of the project. In return, they will receive a certificate and a plan showing exactly where it is located. Donors over the age of 18 will have the opportunity to join a scaffolding tour to see up close the work taking place and take in the stunning views.

Much of the restoration will be carried out by the Cathedral’s skilled team of stonemasons which includes two trainees. As part of the project they will design and carve six new gargoyles and eleven pinnacles – restoring one of Gloucester’s most iconic skylines.

Each gargoyle will represent an area of Gloucestershire. It is only the second time in living memory that new gargoyles have been produced for the Cathedral.

The Very Reverend Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester said:

“Our ancestors did everything they could to pass the building on in better condition than they found it. This is part of Cathedral’s DNA; each generation leaving its mark, building on the legacy of those who came before to continue inspiring visitors in the future.

The Cathedral is bigger than all of us and we need the help of local people to continue its story. Please consider supporting the appeal: every gift, like every stone, will make a crucial contribution.”